John Galt (novelist)
| birth_place = Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotland | death_date = April | death_place = Greenock, Scotland | occupation = Writer, colonial businessman | nationality = Scottish | period = 1812-1839 | genre = poetry, drama, short stories, travel writing | subject = | movement = | notableworks = Annals of the Parish The Chronicle of Dalmailing | spouse = Elizabeth Tilloch | partner = | children = | relatives = | influences = | influenced = | awards = | signature = | website = | portaldisp = }} John Galt (2 May 1779 - 11 April 1839) was a Scottish novelist, entrepreneur, and miscellaneous writer. The 1st novelist to deal with issues of the industrial revolution, he has been called the 1st political novelist in the English language. Life Ovrview Galt, son of the captain of a West Indiaman, was born at Irvine, Ayrshire. While still a young man he went to London and formed a commercial partnership, which proved unfortunate, and then entered Lincoln's Inn to study law. A little before this he had produced his first book, a poem on the Battle of Largs, which, however, he soon suppressed. He then went to various parts of the Continent in connection with certain commercial schemes, and met Lord Byron, with whom he travelled for some time. Returning home he pub. Letters from the Levant, which had a favourable reception, and some dramas, which were less successful. He soon, however, found his true vocation in the novel of Scottish country life, on which his fame rests. He was not so successful in the domain of historical romance, although these contain many striking passages. In addition to his novels Galt produced many historical and biographical works. In addition to this copious literary output, Galt was constantly forming and carrying out commercial schemes, the most important of which was the Canada Company, which, like most of his other enterprises, though conducted with great energy and ability on his part, ended in disappointment and trouble for himself. In 1834 he returned from Canada to Greenock, broken in health and spirits, and died there in 1839 of paralysis. Galt was a man of immense talent and energy, but would have held a higher place in literature had he concentrated these qualities upon fewer objects. Most of his 60 books are forgotten, but some of his novels, especially perhaps The Annals of the Parish, have deservedly a secure place.John William Cousin, "Galt, John," A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature, 1910, 150. Web, Jan. 13, 2018. Youth Galt was born at Irvine, Ayrshire. He received his early education at Irvine and Greenock, and read largely from one of the public libraries while serving as a clerk in a mercantile office.Britannica 1911, 11, 427. Early career In I804 he went to settle in London, where he published anony mously a poem on the Battle of Largs. After unsuccessful attempts to succeed in business Galt entered at Lincoln's Inn, but was never called to the bar. He obtained a commission from a British firm to go abroad to find out whether the Berlin and Milan decrees could be evaded. He met Lord Byron and Sir John Hobhouse at Gibraltar, travelled with Byron to Malta, and met him again at Athens. He was afterwards employed by Glasgow merchant Kirkman Finlay on similar business at Gibraltar, and in 1814 visited France and Holland. His early works are the Life and Administration of Wolsey, Voyages and Travels, Letters from the Levant, the Life of Benjamin West, Historical Pictures, and The Wandering Jew. He induced Colburn to publish a periodical containing dramatic pieces rejected by London managers; these were afterwards edited by Gait as the New British Theatre, which included some plays of his own. He first showed his real power as a writer of fiction in "The Ayrshire Legatees," which appeared in Blackwood's Magazine in 1820. This was followed in.1821 by his masterpiece, The Annals of tke Parish. At short intervals, Sir Andrew Wylie, The Entail, The Steam-Boat, and The Provost followed at short intervals. These humoros studies of Scottish character are all in his happiest manner. His next works were Ringan Gilhaize (1823), a story of the Covenanters; The Spaewife (1823), which relates to the times of James I of Scotland; Rothelan (1824), a novel founded on the reign of Edward III; The Omen (1825), which was favourably criticized by Sir Walter Scott; and The Last of the Lairds (1825), another picture of Scottish life. Canada Company In 1824, Galt was appointed Secretary to the Canada Company, a charter company established to aid in the colonization of the Huron Tract in Upper Canada (now Ontario). Going to Canada in 1826, he carried out extensive schemes of colonization, and opened up a road through what was then forest country between Lakes Huron and Erie. In 1827 he founded Guelph in Upper Canada, passing on his way the township of Galt on the Grand river, named after him by the Hon. William Dixon. But all this work proved financially unprofitable to Gait. During his tenure with the Canada Company, Galt ran afoul of several colonial authorities, including Sir Peregrine Maitland, then Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada. Galt was heavily criticised by his employers for his lack of basic accounting skills and failure to carry out their established policies. This resulted in his dismissal and recall to Great Britain in 1829. His 3 sons later played prominent roles in Canadian politics; 1 of them, Alexander Tilloch Galt, was a "Father of Confederation" and Canada's 1st Minister of Finance. Later life In 1829 he returned to England, commercially a ruined man. Soon after his return he was imprisoned for several months for failure to pay his debts. He devoted himself with great ardor to literary pursuits, of which the first fruit was Lawrie Todd, one of his best novels. Then came Southennan, a tale of Scottish life in the times of Queen Mary. In 1830 he was appointed editor of the Courier newspaper – a post he soon relinquished. Despite failing health, Galt was involved in another colonial business venture, the British American Land Company, which was formed to develop lands in the Eastern Townships of Lower Canada. Galt served as secretary but was forced to resign in December 1832 because of his health. His untiring industry was seen in the publication, in rapid succession, of a Life of Byron, Lives of the Players, Bogle Corbet, Stanley Buxton, The Member, The Radical, Eben Erakine, The Stolen Child, his Autobiography, and a collection of tales entitled Stories of the Study. In 1834 appeared his Literary Life and Miscellanles, dedicated by permission to William IV, who sent the author a present of f200. As soon as this work was published Gait retired to Greenock, where he continued his literary labors till his death. Writing Galt's writing, like that of almost all voluminous writers, was exceedingly unequal. His masterpieces are The Ayrshire Legatees, The Annals of the Parish, Sir Andrew Wylie, The Entail, The Provost, and Lawrie Todd. The Ayrshire Legatees gives, in the form of a number of exceedingly diverting letters, the adventures of Rev. Dr. Pringle and his family in London. The letters are made the excuse for endless tea-parties and meetings of kirk-session in the rural parish of Garnock. The Annals of the Parish are told by Rev. Micah Balwhidder, Galt's finest character. This work (which, be it remembered, existed in MS. before Waverley was published) is a splendid picture of the old-fashioued Scottish pastor and the life of a country parish; and, in rich humour, genuine pathos and truth to nature it is unsurpassed even by Scott. It is a fine specimen of the homely graces of the Scottish dialect, and preserve much vigorous Doric phraseology fast passing out of use even in country districts. In this novel Galt used, for the first time, the term "Utilitarian," which afterwards became so intimately associated with the doctrines of John Stuart Mill and Bentham (see Annals of the Parish, chap. xxxv., and a note by Mill in Utilitarianism, chap. ii.). In Sir Andrew Wylie the hero entered London as a poor lad, but achieved remarkable success by his shrewd business qualities. The character is somewhat exaggerated, but excessively amusing. The Entail was read thrice by Byron and Scott, and is the best of Galt's longer novels. Leddy Grippy is a wonderful creation, and was considered by Byron equal to any female character in literature since Shakespeare's time. The Provost, in which Provost Pawkie tells his own story, portrays inimitably the jobbery, bickerings and self-seeking of municipal dignitaries in a quaint Scottish burgh. In Lawrie Todd Gait, by giving us the Scot in America, accomplished a feat which Sir Walter never attempted. This novel exhibits more variety of style and a greater love of nature than his other books. The life of a settler is depicted with unerring pencil, and with an enthusiasm and imaginative power much more poetical than any of the author's professed poems. Recognition The best of Galt's novels were reprinted in Blackwood's Standard Novels, to volume i of which his friend Dr. Moir prefixed a memoir. Galt, a town in Waterloo co., Ontario (now part of Cambridge) was named after him."Galt," Encyclopædia Britannica 1911, 11, 427. Galt is commemorated in Makars' Court, outside The Writers' Museum, Lawnmarket, Edinburgh and by the John Galt memorial fountain in Greenock. In 2006, the city of Guelph, Ontario, proclaimed the first Monday in August as "John Galt Day."August Holiday Galt's original home in Guelph is currently the site of the local landmark Trapper's Alley. Publications Poetry *''Poems. London: Cochrane & M'Crone, 1833. *Efforts; by an invalid. London: James Fraser, 1835. * ''The Demon of Destiny, and other poems. Greenock, UK: W. Johnston & Son, 1839. *''Poems of John Galt''. Toronto: Burns & MacEachern, 1954. *''The Collected Poems of John Galt, 1799-1839''. (edited by Hamilton Baird Timothy). (2 volumes), London, ON: privately printed, 1969. Plays *''The Tragedies of Maddalen, Agamemnon, Lady Macbeth, Antonia and Clytemnestra. London: T. Cadell & W. Davies, 1812. *''The Apostate; or, Atlantis destroyed: A tragedy, in five acts. London: printed by A.J. Valpy, 1814; Cambridge, UK: Chadwyck-Healey, 1995. *''The Prophetess: A tragedy, in three acts'' and The Masquerade: A comedy, in five acts. London: printed by A.J. Valpy, 1814. *''The Appeal: A tragedy, in three acts. London: Constable, 1818. *''Love, Honour, and Interest: A comedy, in three acts. Cambridge, UK: Chadwyck-Healey, 1995. *''The Mermaid: An interlude, in two acts''. Cambridge, UK: Chadwyck-Healey, 1995. *''Orpheus: An opera, in three parts''. Cambridge, UK: Chadwyck-Healey, 1995. Novels * The Majolo: A tale. (2 volumes), London: Henry Coluburn, 1815. * The Earthquake: A tale. (3 volumes), Edinburgh: William Blackwood, 1820; New York: W.B. Gilley, 1821. Volume I, Volume II, Volume III/ *''Glenfell; or, MacDonalds and Campbells: An Edinburgh tale of the nineteenth century. London: Sir Richard Phillips, 1820. **Edinburgh: National Library of Scotland, 1963. *The Ayrshire Legatees; or, The Pringle family. Edinburgh: William Blackwood, 1821. *The Annals of the Parish. Edinburgh: 1821. **Oxford, UK, & New York: Oxford University Press, 1986. *The Provost. Edinburgh: William Blackwood / London: T. Cadell, 1822; New York: E. Duycinck, 1822. **The Provost, and other tales'' (includes The Steamboat and The Omen). William Blackwood, 1842. **Edinburgh: John Grant, 1936; London & New York: Oxford University Press, 1973. *''Sir Andrew Wylie, of that ilk''. (3 volumes), Edinburgh: William Blackwood / London: T. Cadell, 1822; New York: printed by W. Grattan, 1822. Volume I, Volume II, Volume III. * The Steam-Boat. Edinburgh: William Blackwood, 1822. *''The Gathering of the West. Edinburgh: William Blackwood, 1823. **Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1939. *The Entail; or, The lairds of Grippy. (3 volumes), Edinburgh: William Blackwood / London: T. Cadell, 1823; New York: James & John Harper, 1823. **(introduction by John Ayscough). (1 volume), London & New York: Henry Frowde / Oxford University Press, 1913. **(introduction by Ian Alistair Gordon). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 1984. * ''Ringan Gilhaize; or, The Covenanters. (3 volumes), Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd / London: G. & W.B. Whittaker, 1823; Glasgow: Dunn, 1823. *''The Spaewife: A tale of the Scottish chronicles''. (2 volumes), Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd / London: G. & W.B. Whittaker, 1823. Volume I, Volume II. **Glasgow, UK: University of Glasgow, 2004. *''The Bachelor's Wife: A selection of curious and interesting extracts, with cursory observations. Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd / London: G. & W.B. Whittaker, 1824. * ''The Omen. Edinburgh: William Blackwood, 1825. * Rothelan: A romance of the English histories. (3 volumes), Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd; London: G.B. Whittaker, 1824; New York: Collins & Hannay, 1825. Volume I, Volume II, Volume III. *''The Last of the Lairds; or, The life and opinions of Malachi Mailings Esq., of Auldbiggings. Edinburgh: William Blackwood / London: T. Cadell, 1826. **Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press, 1976. *''Lawrie Todd; or, The settlers in the woods. (3 volumes), London: Henry Colburn & Richard Bentley, 1830; New York: James & John Harper, 1830. Volume I, Volume II, Volume III. * Southennan: A novel. (3 volumes), London: Henry Colburn & Richard Bentley, 1830; New York: John & James Harper, 1830. Volume I, Volume II, Volume III. *''Bogle Corbet; or, The emigrants''. London: Henry Colburn & Richard Bentley, 1831. Volume I, Volume II, Volume III. *''The Lives of the Players. (2 volumes), London: Henry Colburn & Richard Bentley, 1831. *The Member: An autobiography. London: J. Fraser, 1832. * ''The Radical: An autobiography. London: J. Fraser, 1832. **Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press, 1975. * Stanley Buxton; or, The school-fellows. (3 volumes), London: Richard Bentley & Henry Colburn, 1832. Volume I, Volume II, Volume III. * The Stolen Child: A tale of the town, founded on a certain interesting fact. London: Smith, Elder, 1833; Philadelphia: Carey, Lea, & Blanchard, 1833. * Eben Erskine; or, The traveller. (3 volumes), London: Richard Bentley, 1833. Volume I, Volume II, Volume III * The Ouranoulagos; or, The celestial volume. London: T. Cadell / Edinburgh: William Blackwood, 1833. *''The Painter: A Sicilian tale''. London: J. Clements, 1841. *''The Book of Life: A story''. London: J. Clements, 1841. Short fiction *''Stories of the Study''. (3 volumes), London: Cochrane & M'Crone, 1833. Volume I, Volume II, Volume III *''The Howdie, and other tales. Edinburgh & London: T.N. Foulis, 1923. *''A Rich Man, and other stories'' (edited with introduction by William Roughead). London: T.N. Foulis, 1925; London: P. Davies, 1925. *''Selected Short Stories'' (edited by Ian Alistair Gordon). Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press, 1978. Non-fiction * Cursory Reflections on Political and Commercial Topics. London: C.J. Barrington, 1812. *''Voyages and Travels in the Years 1809, 1810, and 1811. London: T. Cadell & W. Davies, 1812. *The Life and Administration of Cardinal Wolsey. London: T. Cadell & W. Davies, 1812. *''Letters from the Levant : containing views of the state of society, manners, opinions, and commerce, in Greece, and several of the principal islands of the Archipelago. London: T. Cadell & W. Davies, 1813. Part I, Part II. *''The Life and Studies of Benjamin West, Esq., President of the Royal Academy of London: Prior to his arrival in England; compiled from materials furnished by himself. London: T. Cadell & W. Davies, 1816. *All the Voyages Round the World: Rrom the first by Magellan in 1520 to that of Krusenstern in 1807. London: Sir Richard Phillips, 1820. *''The Universal Traveller: Containing the popular features and contents of the best standard modern travels, in the four quarters of the world. London: Sir Richard Phillips, 1823; London: G. & W.B. Whittaker, 1824. *''The progress of genius; or, Authentic memoirs of the early life of Benjamin West, Esq. president of the Royal Academy, London. Boston: L.C. Bowles, 1831. *''George the Third, His court and family. (2 volumes), London: Henry Colburn, 1824. Volume I, Volume II. *''The Life of Lord Byron. London: Henry Colburn & Richard Bentley, 1830. *''The Autobiography of John Galt. (2 volumes), London: Cochrane & M'Crone, 1833; Philadelphia: Key & Biddle, 1833. Volume I, Volume II. * A Contribution to the Greenock Calamity Fund. Greenock, UK: privately printed, 1834. Juvenile *''The History of Gog and Magog, the Champions of London. London: J. Souter, 1819. *The travels and observations of Hareach, the wandering Jew. London: J. Souter, 1819, 1820. Collected editions *''The Literary Life and Miscellanies of John Galt. Edinburgh: William Blackwood / London: T. Cadell, 1834. *''The Works of John Galt'' (edited by David Storrar Meldrum & William Roughead). Edinburgh: William Blackwood, 1895; Boston: Roberts Brothers, 1895. **Edinburgh: J. Grant, 1936; New York: AMS Press, 1968. See also * List of British poets References * . Wikisource, Web, Jan. 14, 2018. * Notes External links ;Poems * Selected Poetry of John Galt (1779-1839) (6 poems) at Representative Poetry Online. * John Galt at AllPoetry (8 poems). ;Prose *Articles and essays ;Books * *John Galt: Full Text Books and other works at the University of Guelph. ;About *John Galt in the Encyclopædia Britannica *John Galt in the Canadian Encyclopedia *John Galt at NNDB *Galt, John in the Dictionary of Canadian Biography. * . Original article is at "Galt, John" Category:1779 births Category:1839 deaths Category:People associated with Inverclyde Category:People from Irvine, North Ayrshire Category:Pre-Confederation Ontario people Category:Scottish expatriates in Canada Category:Scottish novelists Category:Scottish poets Category:19th-century poets Category:English-language poets Category:Poets